AKP says ready to 'correct mistakes' in face of mafia boss' allegations

In the face of mafia leader Sedat Peker's allegations of corruption against government officials, ruling AKP Group Deputy Chair Bülent Turan said that the AKP will "correct its mistakes” if they do exist. "If there is a person who has done wrong, it is our duty to weed them out [from the party]...If we have a mistake, we will correct them and do what is necessary," Turan said.

Monday June 07 2021 06:07 pm

Duvar English

Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Group Deputy Chair Bülent Turan has commented on mafia leader Sedat Peker's allegations of corruption against a number of government officials, saying the AKP is ready to undertake action if it has “mistakes.”

“If there is a mistake of the AKP, it is the AKP's duty to do what is necessary and will do so. But I am of the opinion that it is not correct to direct our parliament in a way in line with the speeches of a man in front of the screen,” Turan said on June 7 during a press conference in parliament.

"If there is a person who has done wrong, it is our duty to weed them out [from the party]," Turan said.

The AKP MP's comments came after the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) called for the establishment of a parliamentary commission to investigate Peker's allegations against Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu.

“He [Peker] is talking from the hotel of a country known for its animosity against Turkey. On top of that, he moves to another hotel. These are hotels that belong to the same boss, but different chains. We will not be deceived by such games. If we have a mistake, we will correct them and do what is necessary, but 'mafia' and 'AKP' are the last two concepts that can be brought together,” he said.

In his ninth video released on YouTube on May 6, Peker claimed that Soylu had told shady business tycoon Sezgin Baran Korkmaz, currently sought by Turkish authorities over money laundering, to flee Turkey to avoid prosecution.

Peker said that Korkmaz and Soylu had a meeting in the interior ministry and that's where the businessman was tipped off about a probe launched into him.

In his video, Peker also claimed that AKP deputy Metin Külünk, who is at the center of controversy due to allegations of him receiving $10,000 a month from the mafia boss, called him and asked him not to release a video before President Recep Erdoğan's meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden set to be held on June 14.

Topics AKP Turkey Sedat Peker Bülent Turan Süleyman Soylu